Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show!

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by composer and music producer Joshua Sitron!Joshua's career spans major networks like CBS, Nickelodeon, Amazon, Disney, PBS, 20th Century Fox, and Showtime, including the mega-hit Nick Jr. series Dora the Explorer, where he wrote both the iconic theme song and underscore. He also dives into his work writing songs for Disney's PB&J Otter, composing and producing music for dozens of toy and merchandise brands with Fisher-Price and Mattel, and creating the beloved children's music and comedy project FunkeyMonkeys.Connect with Joshua:https://www.joshuasitronmusic.com/Taping date: May 5, 2025Edited by: Simon A. (Baby Lamb Creations)https://www.youtube.com/@BabyLambCreationshttps://www.tiktok.com/@babylambcreationshttps://www.instagram.com/babylambcreations/https://www.reddit.com/user/BabyLambCreationsYT/Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by animator, director, and producer Steve Loter!Steve shares stories from his prolific Disney career, from directing Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and directing/producing The Legend of Tarzan, to his best known work as director on Kim Possible. He also shares memories from directing Brandy & Mr. Whiskers and American Dragon: Jake Long, collaborating with the band Tally Hall on Playhouse Disney's Happy Monster Band and their Hidden in the Sand music video, and directing/co-writing Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast. He also reflects on his storyboarding roles on Nickelodeon classics like The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, The Penguins of Madagascar, and T.U.F.F. Puppy, up to his recent executive producing on The Ghost and Molly McGee and co-developing Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.Special thanks to Bob Schooley for connecting us!Connect with Steve:https://www.instagram.com/steveloter/Taping date: May 4, 2025Edited by: Mileshttps://www.youtube.com/@Miles02109Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by animator, writer and director Gary Trousdale!Gary reflects on starting his career in the 1980s as an inbetween effects animator on The Black Cauldron, before transitioning to storyboarding on classics like Oliver & Company, The Little Mermaid, and The Rescuers Down Under. He dives deep into co-directing and writing masterpieces like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire, as well as his post-Disney career, from storyboarding DreamWorks hits like Madagascar, Flushed Away, and Mr. Peabody & Sherman to writing and directing the televised Shrek specials Shrek the Halls and Scared Shrekless.Taping date: June 11, 2025Edited by: Chris Bixby (Co-Host)Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by Emmy Award-winning director and production designer Victor DiNapoli!Victor's work is best known from his decades-long journey with Sesame Street, starting as a senior scenic artist in the early 1970s before moving up to art director and ultimately serving as production designer through the late 2000s. He was also a director on the show and helmed moments such as Elmo's memorable visit to the New York City Fire Department and various Elmo's World segments. Victor also shares memories from serving as production designer on Nick Jr.'s Eureeka's Castle and PBS Kids' Barney & Friends and Lomax, the Hound of Music.Special thanks to Mike Pantuso for connecting us!Taping date: May 3, 2025Edited by: Simon A. (Baby Lamb Creations)https://www.youtube.com/@BabyLambCreationshttps://www.tiktok.com/@babylambcreationshttps://www.instagram.com/babylambcreations/https://www.reddit.com/user/BabyLambCreationsYT/Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by film and television producer and screenwriter David Kirschner!David is best known for creating the concept, co-writing, and executive producing An American Tail and its sequel Fievel Goes West, co-writing the story and co-producing the iconic Halloween favorite Hocus Pocus (as well as co-writing its 2022 sequel), and creating the concept, producing, and designing the iconic Chucky animatronic doll for the Child's Play franchise. He also discusses producing animated gems like The Pagemaster, Cats Don't Dance, and Titan A.E., alongside his major contributions to the Curious George franchise as producer on the 2006 feature film and executive producer on the long-running PBS Kids series.Taping date: October 7, 2026Edited by:Chris Bixby (Co-Host)Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by Canadian actress and voiceover artist Pauline Little!Pauline shares stories from her celebrated voice acting career, including voicing the titular role in the English US dub of Maya the Bee and delighting generations of young viewers as the voice of Grandma on the classic preschool series Caillou. She also dives into her diverse experiences across live-action and animation, discussing her work on projects like The Hitchhiker, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, and The Little Lulu Show, alongside her memorable voice acting roles in the gaming world.Taping date: May 2, 2025Edited by: Drew Wellshttps://www.youtube.com/@drewsmediacorner399https://www.instagram.com/drews_media_1/Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On tonight's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by writer, producer, and showrunner Jon Cooksey!Jon shares behind-the-scenes insights from his time as a writer and story editor on Nickelodeon's Rugrats, as well as co-writing the iconic Disney Channel Original Movies Halloweentown and Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge. He also dives into his work as writer and executive producer on the fan-favorite series So Weird, co-writing the holiday animated special The Santa Claus Brothers, co-creating the supernatural drama The Collector, and contributing to hit series like Arctic Air and Killjoys.Taping date: October 9, 2026Edited by:Chris Bixby (Co-Host)https://www.instagram.com/chris.b2000/Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by neurodivergent children's author and podcast host Leo Finelli!Leo reflects on growing up in the 2000s and navigating life on the autism spectrum, sharing how his experiences shaped his journey into autism advocacy and children's media creation. We discuss his books Seven Slices of Life, The Nutcracker's World, and his newest release, Ryann Lazuli Goes Offline, and how he began hosting his own podcast, Generation Change, where he interviews Gen Z changemakers speaking out on the issues they care about.Connect with Leo:https://www.leofinelli.com/https://www.instagram.com/genchangewithlf/https://www.facebook.com/genchangewithLFhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/generation-change-with-leo-finelli/id1538076746https://open.spotify.com/show/0z5wsIRvAQq7pf5SvGaytXTaping date: September 7, 2026Edited by: Simon A. (Baby Lamb Creations)https://www.youtube.com/@BabyLambCreationshttps://www.tiktok.com/@babylambcreationshttps://www.instagram.com/babylambcreations/https://www.reddit.com/user/BabyLambCreationsYT/Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by writer and producer Paul Bernbaum!Paul looks back on his early credits writing for popular 1980s and '90s action and drama series, as well as working alongside stars like Leslie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Nicolas Cage, and Ben Affleck. He then dives deep into co-writing the 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie Halloweentown, sharing how its magical world was crafted, what it was like working with the young cast, and cherished memories of the iconic Debbie Reynolds.Taping date: August 3, 2026Edited by:Chris Bixby (Co-Host)https://www.instagram.com/chris.b2000/Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk

On today's episode of Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, we're joined by animator and director Webster Colcord!Webster touches base on his early entry into the industry and his biggest artistic inspirations, starting with his work on TV specials and commercials at the legendary Will Vinton Studio. He looks back on transitioning to feature films as an animator on Disney's James and the Giant Peach, creating memorable interstitials for CBS, Warner Bros., and Nickelodeon, including the iconic 1999 Nick Jr. Productions logo, and later serving as a supervising producer for DreamWorks while contributing to the Ted franchise and beyond.Connect with Webster:https://www.instagram.com/webstercolcordhttps://www.tiktok.com/@webstercolcordTaping date: April 6, 2025Edited by: Mileshttps://www.youtube.com/@Miles02109Be sure to check out our website, where you can learn more about the podcast and find how to follow the Happy Nostalgia team:https://jakeshappynostalgiashow.com/Listen to the audio version on Spotify and wherever else you find your podcasts:https://open.spotify.com/show/1PdrRWSmUdQ3m2NpNR9lSk